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Branded Easter Chocolate Gets Pricier Even as Cocoa Falls

Long contracts mean cheaper cocoa has not reached store prices.

Overview

  • New price checks show Easter items from Lindt, Milka, Kinder and Ferrero cost 7% to 29% more than a year ago, with Lindt’s 100 g Goldhase up to €4.99 and the per‑kilo price reaching about €65.
  • Global cocoa has dropped from peaks above €10,000 per tonne in 2024 to roughly €2,800, yet brands and industry groups say earlier high‑priced contracts and still‑elevated costs for nuts, packaging and energy delay retail cuts by months.
  • Shoppers are buying less and waiting for deals, with NIQ reporting an 11% drop in seasonal chocolate volumes in 2025 and heavy reliance on promotions such as Lindt 100 g bunnies at €2.22 and Milka 45 g at €1.11 during sales.
  • Manufacturers are retooling offers, as Mondelez shifts Milka toward multipacks and in‑store promos to win back price‑sensitive buyers and Ritter Sport launches 75 g premium dark bars sourced from its El Cacao plantation at a €2.29 RRP.
  • Pressure is visible in stores, with a Hamburg grocer dropping Lindt’s Goldhase after the RRP jumped from €6.99 to €8.99 and sales stalled, while discounters keep pushing own‑brand bunnies near 99 cents.